It is Monday afternoon, and the reigning MVP of the NHL is on the other end of the line from Washington, politely slogging through yet another interview.

Yes, he will be disappointed if his Washington Capitals do not make the playoffs. Yes, he is excited at the team's prospects in 2008-09. And yes, goalie Jose Theodore has been welcomed with open arms.

"Why wouldn't he be?" Ovechkin said. "He is a former league MVP, just like me."

Finally the conversation ends with hockey's most electrifying superstar modestly saying: "Thank you very much."

No sooner has the phone been hung up than Ovechkin prepares to bust a move. No surprise here. Ovechkin is always on the go. That is his way. On this night, the destination is a night club in nearby Virginia. Time for Alexander The Great to transform from goal scorer to rock and roller.

Yes, rock and roller.

Ovechkin and a handful of Caps have traded their hockey sticks for musical instruments. They are the subjects of a video that is being filmed, one that will be shown at the Verizon Center on each game night before the Caps step onto the ice. Because the Caps' playoff marketing theme was "Rock The Red" last spring, the team's braintrust decided to play off that idea by making the guys into rock stars.

Theodore is on guitar. So, too, are Alexander Semin and Nicklas Backstrom. Brooks Laich strums the bass while Mike Green is on drums.

The front man? Ovechkin. Who else would be the lead singer of a band called "Ovie and the Caps."

Know this: When it comes to Ovie's vocals, Robert Plant has nothing to worry about. Caps owner Ted Leonsis might, however, had Ovechkin followed through with his gesture of pretending to jump into the mosh pit.

We can see the headline now: Caps' $124 Million Man Blows Out Knee in Poorly-timed Plunge!

Leonsis probably would faint at the thought.

Leonsis knows losing Ovechkin would be the biggest nightmare to hit the Caps since the ill-fated Jaromir Jagr experiment a few years ago. Ovechkin, after all, has managed to accomplish something Jagr could never do -- make hockey matter in Washington.

Nothing better illustrates this point than a keepsake Ovechkin received over the summer. It hangs on the wall at his Washington-area home, a silver, eight-inch key mounted on a mahogany plaque that serves as a reminder of just how big Alex Ovechkin has become.

Forget about the Hart Trophy. Or the Rocket Richard Award as the NHL's top goal scorer. Or any of the other countless items of silverware that Ovechkin, 23, continues to collect in his young career.

Of all his baubles, this is one of his most prized possessions. It is, after all, the key to the city of Washington, presented to him by mayor Adrian Fenty on June 15.

"It was a big honour for me," Ovechkin recalled, still excited three months later. "It was pretty cool. For one day, I was the president."

FEELING THE LOVE

With one difference: The existing prez, George W. Bush, never has felt the type of lovin' Ovechkin is receiving in D.C. these days.

Understandable, since pretty much everything Ovechkin touches turns to gold.

Alexander The Rocker can get a packed house singing no matter how out of tune he might be.

Alexander The Golfer carded a hole-in-one in 2006 during his first-ever round, a moment that was recorded on video.

Alexander The Fashion Plate has his own line of streetware, which includes hats, t-shirts and shoes.

And Alexander The Scorer, well, only Wayne Gretzky and Mike Bossy racked up more goals in their first three seasons than the 163 posted by Ovechkin.

Only one goal remains: Alexander The Stanley Cup Winner.

"I'm excited," he said. "We want to go as far as we can. It's amazing to see the change in the city. Our fans are crazy. Everyone is talking about the Caps. Our games are almost sold out. The summer has been too long. I can't wait to get started."

In a Maple Leafs dressing room too
often stuffed with inflated egos,
personal agendas and a greater concern
for personal stats rather than the
overall standings, the arrivals of
Mike Babcock and, now, Lou Lamoriello,
are a sobering reality check for all
concerned.